Automatic weighing-machine.



J. P. CLIFFORD & s. G. MURRAY.

AUTOMATIC WBIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1912.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

6 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

PLANOGRAIH co., WASHING J. P. CLIFFORD & S. G. MURRAY. AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1912. 1 83,804. Patented Jan. 6, 1914;

6 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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a w I rfi zl/ara esse, I r zvenzars N JfirzBCZWor-d COLUMBIA PLAyOGRAPH COHWASHINGTON, D. C.

J. P. CLIFFORD & S. G. MURRAY.

AUTOMATIC WBIGHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT 10 1912 Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

6 SHEETS-8HEET 3.

J. P. CLIFFORD & S. G. MURRAY. AUTOMATIC WBIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1912.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. P. CLIFFORD 6: S. G. MURRAY.

AUTOMATIC WBIGHING MACHINE.

6 SHEETS-SHEBT 5.

J. P. CLIFFORD & S. G. MURRAY.

, AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

. APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1912.

1,083,804. Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH couwlunmu'rou. 0. c7

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES JOHN P.. CLIFFORD AND. STANLEY G. MURRAY, O15v PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO RICHARDSON SCALE COMPANY, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC WEIGI-IING-MACI-IINE.

Application filed September 10, 1912.

: inthe county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Weighing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in weighing machines and more especially to those of the automatic type wherein the discharge of each weighed: load from the weigh hopper and the opening of the gate or valve for the taking up of the next load are effected automatically, and the primary object of this invention is to provide simple and reliable means for cushioning or avoiding shock during the return of the weigh hopper, counter-poise and related parts to initial position upon the discharge ofa load from the weigh hopper and storing or accumul'atingthereby sufiicient power to open the supply gate or valve to commence the next subsequent weighing operation, the apparatus-operating more smoothly and quietly than heretofore, wear of the parts is minimized, and the different adjustments of the machine for accurate weighing are not disturbed.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the

novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 represents a side elevation of one type of weighing machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1 and as viewed from the right; Figs. 3 and 1 represent respectively transverse and longitudinal sections through the weight and cylinder used in this embodiment of the invention; Figs. 5 and 6 represent in elevation the same type of weighing machine equipped with a some what modified form of the present invention, the weight being shown in two different positions in these figures; Figs. 7, 8 and 9 represent in vertical section a liquid weighing machine embodying the present invention. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary View of the upper left-hand portion of the weighing machine as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914:.

Serial No. 719,678.

Similar parts are designated: by the same reference characters in the several views.

The weighing machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is of the same type substantially as that disclosed in the patent to Henry Richardson, No. 760,485 granted May at, 1901-,-

it embodying, briefly, a main frame 1', a supply hopper 2, a weigh hopper or bucket 3' which. receives the material from the supply hopper in making up a load, a weight box or counterpoise 4, and. a weigh beam 5, the latter being fulcrumedonthe mainframe 1 at 6 and having at its opposite ends knife edges 7 and 8 which support respectively the @weight box, or counterpoise, and the weigh }hopper. A valve or gate 9 controls the flow @of the material from the supplyhopper and Einto the weigh hopper, this gate or valve in j the present instance being of segmental form and pivotally supported at one end by a bracket 10, while its opposite end is sup- ;ported by a head 11 provided with a supi porting shaft 12. This valve is of somewhat different form. from that shown in the prior Zpatent aforesaid, but is operated substan- ;tially upon the same principle, the gate or valve being locked wlien closed by a toggle .composed of the links 13 and 1'4, the link 13 being pivoted at 15 to the main frame, while the link 14: is provided with an elongated eye 16 which cooperates with a pin 17 on the supply valve or gate. The middle pivot 18 is @COIHIGCtGCl to a drop bar 19, the latter being fconnected to a knock-off lever 20 which is fulcrumed' at 21, and the opposite end of this jknocleolf lever is arranged to cooperate with i an arm 22 of a bell-crank lever 23, the latter being pivoted on the weigh hopper at 2 t and pivotally connected at 25 to a bar 26. The vbar 2G is pivotally connected at 27 to a. door ;or gate 28 which controls the discharge of fthe material from the weigh hopper, a coun- 'terpoise 29 being attached to an arm 30 ;which extends beyond the pivot 31 of the hopper door and such weight 'tends to close the door. The weight of the toggle members and the drop bar is sustained while the valve is in dribble position by the trigger which is pivoted to the frame at 33 and is provided with weight Sat which projects from one side of this pivot and tends to move the trigger into cooperative relation with the drop bar, and it has an arm 35 projecting from the opposite side of this pivot arranged to be depressed or engaged by a projection 36 on the weigh beam. The mechanism just described is an example of one form of mechanism whereby the rising of the weigh hopper or bucket to receive its load or charge first opens the supply valve to feed a full flow or loading stream to the hopper, subsequently closes the supply valve or gate partially to reduce the stream to a dribble stream, and finally closing the valve completely to cut off the supply of material when tne weigh beam is poised.

In the operation of weighing machines of this general type, particularly weighing ma chines of large size and capacity, the dumping the weighed charge or load from the weigh hopper causes the counterpoise to drop suddenly and with considerable force upon its stops 3?. According to the present invention, means is provided for retarding the return of the weigh hopper ano counterpoise to initial position after each load is discharged from the weigh hopper and utilizing this cushioning force to store up power su'llicient to reopen the supply valve or gate preparatory to the commencement of the next weighing operation when the toggle link is unlocked, shock due to the return of the COUlltGlPOlSG to initial position being minimized or avoided, and greater smoothness in the operation of the apparatus being obtained.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the pendant 38 which is lifted by the weigh hopper end of the weigh beam when the latter rises operates to open the supply valve or gate through the medium of an interposed lever 89, this lever being pivotally connected at 4L0 to the sup ply valve or gate and the pendant pivotally connected to said lever at l1. The opposite end of the lever 39 cooperates with. a combined weight and cushion which may be of different constructions. That shown, and which is generally preferred, consists of a weight 42 preferably in the form of cylindrical shell having lugs 13 which are pivotally connected at or to the outer end of the lever This weight contains a cylinder and the cylinder contains a fluidtight piston L6, the piston rod l? extending downwardly through a stutling-box in the lower head 48 of the cylinder and being secured to a cradle h), the ends of the cradle being mounted to rock on the transverse tie rod 50 which connects the two side members of the frame. A by-pass 51 is provided which establishes eommunication between the opposite ends of the cylinder, and this by-pass is provided with a valve which is adjustable to vary the effective area of the by-pass and thereby resist, to the dcsired degree, movement of t is piston L6 in the cylinder. ln this embodi cent of the in vention, the weight d2 will act to resist upward movement of that end of the lever 39 to which it is attached, and the cylinder, piston and by-pass will operate as a brake to retard upward movement or lifting of the weight 42 when the lever 39 is acted on by the counter-poise 4;. The distances between the centers l0 and 4:1, and ll and l4: are so proportioned that the weight 42 will be capable of resisting, to a sutlicient degree, the dropping of the countcr ioise 4- when the load is discharged from the weigh hopper. Therefore, assuming that a ch: rge has been made up in "he weigh hopper and that the supply valve or gate is closed, when this load is discharged from the weigh hopper the relieving of the load upon the weigh hopper end of the weigh beam will. cause this end of the beam to rise owing to the action of the counterpoise l, this rising motion of the weigh hopper end of the weigh beam being transferred to the pendant 3S and the latter in turn transferring the upward movement to the lever 39, causing the latter to tilt about the center 4-0 as a fulcrum with the result that the weight 4L2 is lifted and the cylinder 45 is shifted relatively the piston L6, this relative novenient between the cylinder and piston being retarded by the resistance offered to the transfer of the tluid between the two ends of the cylinder by the appropriately set valve :52. The result is that the counterpoise t will settle more slowly upon its steps 87, and after the supply valve or gate has been unlocked by the toggle, the weight 41-2 acting on the lever 39 will operate to open the supply valve under the control, however, the cooperating cylinder and piston, thereby con'imencii'ig the next weighing operation.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6,-the weighing machine operates upon the same principle as that disclosed in the prior patent referred to, it com prising, briefly, a main frame 53, a supply chute or hopper 5 1-. having a segmental valv 55, this valve being arranged in this instance directly below the supply hopper and pivoted to swing on an axis A weigh hopper or bucket 57 is arranged below the supply valve or gate and a counterpoise 58 serves to weigh the material in the weigh hopper, the weigh hopper and counterpoise being connected by a weigh beam 59 which is fulcrumed by knife-edges G0 bearing on the side members of the frame, and the opposite ends of the weigh beam are connected in the usual manner to the weigh hopper and counterpoise respectively, the stops 61 serving to arrest the descent of the counterpoise when. the load is discharged from the weigh hopper. A toggle serves, as in the preceding case, to lock the supply valve or gate in closed position, this toggle embodying the links 62 and G3 which are pivotally connected by the intermediate pivot 6-4, the link 02 beingpivot'ed to the frame 65 and the link 63'- having' an: elongated eye 66= whichi co 'operateswith. a pin 67 attached to the supply valve'or'gat'eya drop1bar'68 being connected to the intermediate pivot 64 of the toggle and to ak-nock -ofi' lever 69, the latter being pivoted at 7.0: A5 pendant 71 is pivotally connectedl to the supply valve or gate at 72, the pendant in= this instance' being extended downwardly and arranged to cooperates with the upwardly projecting. end 7 3-ofi a. lever 7d, the latter being pivoted at 75 Chi a v bracket 76- whicln is secured to the Weigh hopper, the adjacent end ofthe pendant bein held in operative relation to the end: 73 of the lever by a link 77 The opposite end of: the lever-71= is provided. with a weight. 7 8 and the bracket 7 G is provided with a stop- 79 which serves to limit the downward movement of the weight 78. In this embodiment of the invention, the weight 7 8 will normally occupy the position shown in Fig.1 5;. However, afterthe weigh hopper has descended with a load of material and such material has been discharged there from, the rising movement of the weigh hopper,.due tothe tendency of the counterpoise 58 to drop, causes the end 73 of the lever 74; to be carried upwitli the weigh hopper and into engagement with the lower end of the pendant 71, the resistance offered by this pendant to the arm 73 of the lever causing the lever 74: to: tilt about its axis, and this tilting of the lever is resisted by the weight 78 thereon this resistance offered by the weight 7.8:serving to retard and cushion. the descent of the countenpoise 58. After the toggle has been operatedi to unlock the supply valve or gate, the pendant 71 is permitted to rise and open this valve or gate, the power necessary toopen the valve or gate being derived: from. the weight 7 8.

Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive show the present invention as applied to a: somewhat different type of weighing machine which is adapted to the weighing of liquids. In-this instance, the weighing machine embodies a main frame 79 which supports a supply hopper 80 in thetop thereof, this supply hopper being adapted toreceive liquid through an inlet 81 and being provided with a valve82which controls the flow of theliquid from the supply hopper into the weigh hopper 83. The weigh beam 8 1 is fulcrumed on the frame by the-knife-edges 85: and a counterpoise 86 serves to counterbalance the weigh hopper, the latter being suspended on the opposite end of the weigh beam. The weigh hopper is provided with a discharge valve 87 which normally closes the bottom thereof, this discharge valve being secured to a vertically movable stem 88, and aweight 89 being provided to close the discharge valve after being opened to discharge the contents of the weigh hopper. This weight in the present most position.

instance is annular in. form so as to surround the stem 88 and is connected by the links 90- to a pair of arms 91, the latter being pivoted at 92 to aframe 93 which is fixed: within the hopper, and the inner ends of the levers 91 being pivot-ally connected by the links 9 1 to a head 95, the latter being attached tothe valve stem 88. A link 90 is attached to the cross-head 95 and this link in: turn is pivotally connected to an arm 97 of a bell-crank lever, this bellcrank lever being pivoted at 98 to the frame 93 and provided with a weight 99 which normally operates in a direction to hold the arm 97 in substantially a vertical position as shown in Fig. 8,.tl1ereby locking the discharge valve 87 inclosed position.

The valve 82 which controls the flow of the liquid from the supply hopper into the weigh: hopper is provided with a stem 100 which, when elevated, lifts this valve from its seat and thereby admits liquid to the weigh hopperr A link 101 is operatively connected to this valve stem 100, the lower end of this link cooperating wit-h the intermediate portion of a lever 102, the lower end 103 of. this lever being arranged to engage the arm 97. to unlock the bell-crank which holds the discharge valve 87 in closed posi tion, the-upper or opposite end of the lever 102 being pivotally connected to a link 101.

A lever 105 is pivoted or fulcrumed at 106 on the frame 93, one end 107 of this lever being arranged to abut against the lower end of the valve stem 100 when the weigh hopper rises, and the opposite end of this lever 105 being attached to a weight 108, the weigh hopper being provided interiorly with a stop 109 which serves to support the weight 108, when the latter is in its lower- A basin 110 having a leakhole of appropriate size may be attached, as shown, to the lower end of the valve stem 88 for the purpose of preventing premature closing of the discharge valve 87. The lever 102 is normally held in inoperative relation to the arm 97 by a toggle composed of the links 111 and 112, the link 111 being at tached to the pivot 113 which connects the lever 102 and the link 101, while the link 112 is fulcrumed. on the pin 11 1 and is provided with an extension 115 adapted to engage the under side of a pin 116 which is fixed to the frame 93 in the weigh hopper. A weight 117 operates on the lever 102 to swing the end 103 thereof against the arm 97 when the lever 102 is released by unlocking the toggle links 111 and 112, these toggle links being unlocked as the weigh hopper descends after receiving a full load, the weight 117 then swinging the lever 102 with suflicient force to cause the end 103 thereof to deflect the arm 97 whereby the toggle formed by the link 96 and the member 97 is unlocked, permitting opening of the weigh hopper discharge valve 87 by the liquid pressure acting thereon, and after the load in the weigh hopper has been discharged, the weigh hopper will rise under the influence of the counterpoise 86, carrying the lever 105 upwardly, and causing the end 107 of this lever to strike the lower end of the valve stem 100, the resistance offered to the lever 105 by the valve stem 100 causing the weight 108 acting on this lever to be lifted into the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 9, the weight 108 thereby acting to absorb shock due to the dropping of the coun terpoise, and after the counterpoise for the weigh hopper has settled down on its stops, this weight will then supply the power necessary to open the supply valve or gate and thereby admit fluid to the weigh hopper for the next weighing operation. In each instance, the weight interposed between the supply valve or gate and the weighin mechanism operates to retart the return of the weigh hopper, counterpoise and related parts to initial position after the load is dumped or discharged from the weigh hop per, thus cushioning or absorbing the shock which would otherwise occur, and by the same operation, sutlicient power is stored to open the supply valve or gate when the same is unloaded. In each embodiment of the invention shown, the weight is inoperative when the weighing operation has con men-ced, and hence this weight has no effect on the weighing operation.

What is claimed is:-

1. The combination of a counterpoised weigh hopper, a supply valve therefor, and a weight operative during the return of the weigh hopper to initial position for eushioning such return and for storing power sutfieient to subsequently open the supply valve.

2. The combination of a counterpoised weigh hopper, a supply valve therefor, and a weight operative during the return of the weigh hopper to initial position for storing power to open the supply valve, such weight being inactive during the weighing opera tion.

3. The combination of a counterpoised weigh hopper, a supply valve therefor, and a movable weight interposed letw en the weigh hopper and supply valve and operative during the return of the weigh hopper to initial position after discharging its load to retard such return and to store power sul'licient to open the supply valve.

l. The combination of a counterpoised weigh hopper, a supply valve therefor, a movable weight interposed between the weigh hopper and supply valve and opera tive during the return of the weigh hopper to initial position after discharging its lead to retard such return and to store power sui'licient to open the supply valve, and a stop supporting the weight in inactive position during the weighing operation.

5. The combination of a counterpoised weigh hopper, a supply valve therefor, and a fluid-controlled cushion operative to retard the return movement of the weigh hopper to initial load-receiving position.

6. The combination of a counterpoised weigh hopper, a supply valve therefor, and a combined weight and fluidcontrolled cushion operative to retard the return movement of the weigh hopper to initial loadreceiving position and for storing power to open the supply va re.

7. The combination of a counterpoised weigh hopper, a supply valve therefor, a combined weight and fluid-controlled cushion, a lever connected at one end to the supply valve and at its opposite end to said weight and cushion, and means arranged to act with an upward force on an intermediate part of said lever when the weigh hopper rises upon dumping a load therefrom.

S. The combination of a counterpoised weigh hopper, a supply valve therefor, and. a combined weight and fluid -controlled cushion, the weight being movable vertically and connected to the supply valve and carrying a cylinder, a relatively stationary piston in the cylinder, and means for controlling the tlow of fluid between the ends of the cylinder during the vertical movements of the weight and cylinder.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN P. CLIFFORD. STANLEY G. MURRAY. ll itnesses W. GRAFTON BATEMAN, HARRY F. lilssrnns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

